Facing Contract Delays, NY Downtown Residents Launch Outreach Campaign

The resident physicians of New York Downtown Hospital have been waiting for their new contract for a very long time. To give themselves a stronger voice in contract negotiations, the 60-plus housestaff voted to affiliate with CIR on April 14, 2009. In the face of continued delays during bargaining, the residents have taken matters into their own hands. In mid-November, they launched an outreach campaign both inside the hospital and outside in the larger Manhattan community, challenging the hospital to “Be Fair to Those Who Care.”

For years, the residents at NY Downtown endured low pay, expensive and inferior health benefits, inadequate support for the educational training portion of their residency programs, and most importantly, a lack of respect from the hospital.

Recently, the situation escalated, with a new requirement that residents must visit the emergency room before they are authorized to take a sick day and a threatened dramatic spike in rent for their housing. Worst of all, the hospital has repeatedly dragged their feet and prolonged negotiations.

In response, the residents launched www.downtowndocs.org, a Web site targeted to the communities of Downtown Manhattan, the Financial District, Chinatown and the Lower East Side. Neighbors and patients of the hospital are encouraged to learn more about the residents, to read statements of support from Rep. Jerrold Nadler and other local officials, and to sign a petition supporting the housestaff. Residents are spreading the word by attending local community meetings to state their case and through a Thanksgiving-themed flier within the hospital to announce the new site and solicit signatures on their petition.

With the support of the community, the housestaff are confident they can win a strong new contract and work with the hospital on improving patient care.